Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1887-12-15
JAS. G BLAINES VIEWS,
Mr. Blaine Gives his Views Of PTesi
dent CleYeland's Message.
And Discusses the Tariff Question in
His Usual Mastery Manner.
Rlnine on the MESSAGE.


Hon. James G. Blaine on President
Cleyoland's message. . IT was taken In
short hand under ~ direction Of the
Tribune's Paris correspondent, and sent
by cable. II Is as follows:
81 have been reading an abstract Of
the presidents message, and have been
especially interested in the comments OF
the London papers. Those papers all as
sumo TO declare the message is free
trade manifesto, and evidently are antic
ipahng an enlarged market Tor English
fabrics in the United States as n cOnse.
quence of the presidents recommends
lions. Perhaps that fact sfamped the
character of the message more clearly
than any words Of mine can
'You don't mean an absolute free trade
without duty?"
"No," replied Mr.. Blame. "Nor do
The London papers mean that. They
simply mean that the president has rec
commended what in the United States il
known as a revenue tariff rejecting the
protective features as an object, and not
even permitting protection to result free
ly "a al incident TO revenue duties"
81 don't know that quite comprehend
that last point,n said the reporter.
first time in the history of the United
States the president recommends retain
ing the internal tax in order that tho
tariff may be forced down even below
the fair revenue standard. lie recon-
mends that the tax on tobacco be retain
cd and that many millions annually shall
be LEVIED on q domestic product which
would far better come from n tariff on
foreign fabrics"
"Theu, do you mean TO i'm ply that you
would favor the repeal of the tobacco
taxi"
Certainly; / mean just that" said Mr..
Blaine
Il should urge that 10 be done at once,
even before the Christmas holidays. IL
would in the first place BRING great re-
lief to growers OF tobacco ali over he
country, and would moreover, lessen
the price OF the article to consumers.
Tobacco TO millions OF men is q neces.
sity. The president calls It luxury
but II X a luxury in no other sense than
tea and coffee are luxuries. It Is well to
remember that the luxury of yesterday
becomes a necessity of to day. Watch,
If you please, the number of men at work
ON the farm, in the coal mine, along the
railroad, in the iron country, or in any
calling, aud you will lind ninety five out
of every hundred chewing while they
work. After each meal the same pro
portion seek the solace of pipe or CT
gar These men not only pay the mill
ions of the tobacco tax, but pay an en-
HANGED price which the tax enables
the manufacturer and retailer to i'm pose.
The only excuse for such u tax is the ac
tual necessity under which the govern
ment found itself during tho war and
the years Immediately following To
retain She tax now in order to destroy
the protection which would incidentally
flow from raising the same amount of
money on foreign imports is certainly
most extraordinary policy for our gov
ernment.'
"Well, then, Mr.. Blaine, would you
advise the repeal of the whisky tax alsoY
NO; would not. Other coAsidera-
tions than those of financial administra-
ton are to be taken into account with
regard TO whisky. There Ia neral side
TO j.. 70 cheaper the price of whisky Is
to increase the consumption enormously.
There would be no sense In urging the
reform wrought by high license in many
states if the national government mem
tralizes the good effect by making
whisky within reach of every one at 20
cents u gallon. Whisky would be every
where distilled if the surveillance of the
guverume were Withdrawn by the remis-
sion of the tax, and sales could not then
be prevented even by policy as rigoruue,
as searching as that with which Russia
pursues the nihili-ts. II would destroy
high license at once in all tue states.
whisky has done vast deal of harm
IN the United States, / would try to make
1t do some good. / would use the tax 10
forufy our cities ON the seabuard. In
view Of the powerful letter addressed TO
the Democratic party On the subject of
fertilization by the late Mr.. Samuel j..
Tildeu in 1855, am amazed that no at
teution has boon paid the subject by the
democratic administration. Never before
in the history Of the world has any gov
eminent allowed great cities CA the sea-
board, like Philadelphia, New York, Dos
ton, Baltimore, New Orleans aud San
Francisco to remain defeuseless."
But" said the reporter, you don't
think we are to nave war IN any direc
tonY'
"Certainly not" said Mr.. Blaine.
Neither, l presume, did MIR. llldeu when
he wrote his remarkable letter, But we
should change remote chance into an
absolute mpossibilIty. If our weak and
exposed points were strongly fortified; if
to-day we had by any chance cen such "a
war as we had with Mexico our enemy
could procure iron clads IN Europe tnat
would menace our great cities with de.
struction or lay them under contribu-
ton